Gator wing and stab adjusters
01-28-2005, 03:51 PM
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Gator wing and stab adjusters
Hi,
I have my model at the stage that wings and stabs are nearly completed, without the root ribs, and all the alignment work has to be done. I've never built a model with fiberglass fuse and plug in wings so I'm looking for the best methods to ensure that the wing and stab are aligned correctly and some info on installing the Gator wing and stab adjusters (the instructions are not very clear).
Any info or pics would be a great help.
Thanks,
Robert.
I have my model at the stage that wings and stabs are nearly completed, without the root ribs, and all the alignment work has to be done. I've never built a model with fiberglass fuse and plug in wings so I'm looking for the best methods to ensure that the wing and stab are aligned correctly and some info on installing the Gator wing and stab adjusters (the instructions are not very clear).
Any info or pics would be a great help.
Thanks,
Robert.
01-28-2005, 05:59 PM
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RE: Gator wing and stab adjusters
I am working on my first glass fuse and foam wing airplane as well. I just finished doing what you are getting ready to do. I never thought to ask for help and really struggled with it. I'm not sure if this is the best method or not, but here's how I did it:
I used my dining room table, made sure that it was flat with a long straight edge, then leveled it by shimming the legs as needed. I drew a cinter line down the rudder post and hung a plumb bob behind the tail, the fuse was then taped in place on a cradle ensuring that the rudder line was perfectly vertical. I wanted no gaps on my wing roots, and so used 2 or 3 drops of CA to temporarily glue the wing roots to the fuse fillets. I then installed the center wing tube and donuts, wing tube and wings. leveling was achieved by propping up the wings, I used cassette cases and balsa shims, and by checking with an outside caliper in several equal locations on each wing. I drilled a tiny hole in the fuse on the centerline near the rudder, and CA'd a length of stainless wire in the hole. This was used for triangulation to adjust the wings about the yaw axis. Check, recheck, and recheck again! It took about an hour to get all this perfect, then use CA to cement the wing tube and donuts in position. I used wax on the wing tube and was carefull with the CA not to glue in the wing tube! Later the tube and donuts were secured better with epoxy. The next step was to use epoxy to cement the wings to the wing roots while still in the cradle. I had some gaps between wing and wing root, I filled this with Probond glue, and after sanding, this was covered with the wing skins. I was happy with my result, but it took me a while to figure all this out. I'm sure there are many other better ways of doing this. I hope this helps.
Steve
I used my dining room table, made sure that it was flat with a long straight edge, then leveled it by shimming the legs as needed. I drew a cinter line down the rudder post and hung a plumb bob behind the tail, the fuse was then taped in place on a cradle ensuring that the rudder line was perfectly vertical. I wanted no gaps on my wing roots, and so used 2 or 3 drops of CA to temporarily glue the wing roots to the fuse fillets. I then installed the center wing tube and donuts, wing tube and wings. leveling was achieved by propping up the wings, I used cassette cases and balsa shims, and by checking with an outside caliper in several equal locations on each wing. I drilled a tiny hole in the fuse on the centerline near the rudder, and CA'd a length of stainless wire in the hole. This was used for triangulation to adjust the wings about the yaw axis. Check, recheck, and recheck again! It took about an hour to get all this perfect, then use CA to cement the wing tube and donuts in position. I used wax on the wing tube and was carefull with the CA not to glue in the wing tube! Later the tube and donuts were secured better with epoxy. The next step was to use epoxy to cement the wings to the wing roots while still in the cradle. I had some gaps between wing and wing root, I filled this with Probond glue, and after sanding, this was covered with the wing skins. I was happy with my result, but it took me a while to figure all this out. I'm sure there are many other better ways of doing this. I hope this helps.
Steve
